10/02/2021
Fall has arrived, the leaves are starting to change colors, the days are getting shorter and the air crisper. To me, fall is my favorite time of the year when things start to slow down. You see, that over the summer kids are off from school, families are trying to get vacation time in, weather at the shore or the mountains. Living in central jersey, we have to deal with the shore traffic and Great Adventure traffic. Come Halloween the shore is pretty dead, Great Adventure closes, and parents are back to work and the kid’s school. Which also bring me to another topic I need to stress, end of year. No, I am not talking about December 31. I am talking about the end of the church year which is November 21, 2021. But before that happens, we have several events that take place till then. We have October 31st. No, not Halloween. Nice try, but wrong. Don’t get me wrong, I like Halloween for the candy, but my waistline and type-2 diabetes say no. But, if you noticed, The Reformation is on October 31, 2021.
It was a movement during the 16th century that succeeded in bringing about an important change within the Catholic Church. There was strong opposition to the pope's dominion over the Christian people and the church returning to its roots in Christianity. Martin Luther wanted to change all that. He did not believer in indulgences. The principles of the Protestant Reformation are as follows:
SCRIPTURE ONLY: The Church was to return to the Scriptures and be governed solely by them, rejecting the authority of any religious leader who contradicted biblical principles.
FREE ONLY: Salvation was an undeserved gift given by God and the works of men had no merit in salvation. God saves sinners to the praise of the glory of His grace.
FIDE ONLY: The instrument of justification is faith, through faith, the sinner is imputed the righteousness of Christ, because His sacrifice was vicarious, that is, in substitution of believers.
SOLI DEO GLORIA: God is the only one deserving of glory, honor and praise. The true gospel must be Theo-centric and what matters is to know God, enjoy Him and glorify Him with everything we do.
SOLUS CHRISTUS: Christ is the only way to the Father, the only mediator, there is no other means of salvation, there is no salvation apart from Christ, no one can be saved unless he believes with genuine faith in Jesus Christ.
Next, we have All Saints Day, November 1, which commemorates all the saints together. Which brings us to the end of the church year on November 21, 2021. Thanksgiving is a major holiday in the secular world. It’s the start of Black Friday, cyber-Monday and such.
But therein lies the problem. We get caught up in all the things that society is throwing at us. We see commercials about TV and surround sound systems (big ticket items) for sale at reduced prices. Something we just can’t pass up. We just have to have it. But we all need to be aware of what we are given daily, and by whom.
My friends, it is easy to be thankful for good things, But, what about when we are living amongst difficult situations. Throughout scripture we see situations when people are thankful for the blessings they receive during their difficulties and even as a result of difficulties. Listen to St Paul speaking to us through 2 Corinthians chapter 2:10 "That is why for Christ’s sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecution, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong...". So, what are you thankful for? What can you think of that you are thankful for God for? Over the next two or three minutes, just quietly sit and think of some things you are thankful for and why?
There are many things to be thankful for aren’t there. Some things are obvious others are not. In our reading from Deuteronomy 26:1-11, It becomes apparent that there are many things that we can thank God for. In verse 5 we hear Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. A wandering Aramean? What? In other words, a person who didn’t fit in. In your life Do you ever feel out of place? Feel confused…. a little lost or did not fit in?
Well, the good thing is that even amongst those times of confusion and being lost and not fitting in, God surprises you. In the middle of the messes we live in, God is still at work bringing about many good things that we can be thankful for. Despite being the lost wandering Aramean, who became a great nation, powerful and numerous. Be thankful that our life doesn’t need to be in order or perfect to experience some of God’s blessings.
Remember the Exodus story…did the Israelites reached the promised land in 40 minutes, it wasn’t even 40 hours or 40 weeks....it took 40 years of walking through the wilderness… at times there was not even enough food to eat, and they thought they would be better off back in slavery. But God rescued them and took them to a better place. As God rescues you from troubles be prepared to go on adventures with Him.
Pastor Tim Casaday
